This application relates generally to an assembly for mounting a seat within a vehicle. More particularly, this invention relates to a light weight seat mounting assembly with a first and second track members having an arcuate bearing surfaces for engaging a bearing member such that the second track is resiliently supported with respect to the first track.
Seat track arrangements for mounting seat assemblies within vehicles are generally well known. Most arrangements provide for a seat to be moved or adjusted in forward and rearward directions within a vehicle. Usually the seat assembly includes a mounting assembly for mounting the seat assembly to a vehicle structure.
Seats usually have a seat belt assembly including a lap belt and a shoulder belt for holding a seat occupant in the seat. The seat belt assemblies can be attached to the seat and/or vehicle structures in any number of ways. The lap belts and shoulder belts can be attached to a vehicle structure such as a vehicle floor and/or pillar member. Other seats have the lap belt attached to a vehicle structure with the shoulder belt attached to the seat itself or have the lap belt attached to the seat and the shoulder belt attached to the vehicle structure.
Some seat assemblies have seat belt assemblies that are supported solely by the seat assembly. A seat occupant who is belted into the seat assembly will exert a force on the seat assembly when the occupant experiences a deceleration load. This is known as an "all belts to seat" load. This seat load is transferred to the mounting assembly. Thus, the mounting assemblies must be strong enough to securely hold the seat assembly in place and prevent the seat from separating from vehicle structures during a sudden deceleration.
Mounting assemblies that are used to mount the seat to the vehicle are often complex, especially when the mounting assemblies include additional track strengthening components that are added to the mounting assembly in order to support an "all belts to seat" load or a partial seat belt load. Also the mounting assemblies typically include track members that are made of steel, which increases the overall weight of the mounting assembly. These complex mounting assemblies require a great number of components, which increases the assembly time, adds weight to the vehicle, and increases the overall cost of the seat assembly.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a durable and robust seat mounting assembly that reduces the number of components and decreases the overall assembly cost, yet which is capable of supporting an "all belts to seat" or partial seat belt load. Also, it is desirable to provide track members formed from a light weight material, such as aluminum for example, in order to further decrease the weight of the mounting assembly while providing a high strength assembly.